PRESS RELEASE: SandP Examines Questions Facing Structured Finance

PRESS RELEASE: SandP Examines Questions Facing Structured Finance

The following is a press release from Standard and Poor's: LONDON (Standard and Poor's) Sept.

27, 2007-Tough questions facing the structured finance market are addressed in a podcast released today by Standard and Poor's Ratings Services. Ian Bell, Managing Director, Head of European Structured Finance Ratings, in a conversation with journalist Nisha Pillai, discusses his thoughts on how the current market conditions will play out and on what the role of the rating agency has been. Mr.

Bell considers the consequences on the European structured finance market following the U.S.

subprime problems.

Topics covered include the lack of liquidity available in the short-term markets, when investors might regain confidence, and market confusion surrounding the meaning of a Standard and Poor's rating. To listen to the full interview click on the following link or paste into your browser: http://www.infobleops.net/s_p/pod-IanBell_01.mp3 This podcast is part of a series that the European Standard and Poor's Structured Finance team will be releasing over the coming weeks.

The series will be available on www.standardandpoors.com. Further commentary on the current market environment can be found on RatingsDirect, the real-time Web-based source for Standard and Poor's credit ratings, research, and risk analysis, at www.ratingsdirect.com.

Alternatively, call Client Support Europe on (44) 20-7176-7176.

Members of the media may contact the Press Office Hotline on (44) 20-7176-3605 or via media_europe@standardandpoors.com.

Local media contact numbers are: Paris (33) 1-4420-6657; Frankfurt (49) 69-33-999-225; Stockholm (46) 8-440-5914; or Moscow (7) 495-783-4017. Primary Credit Analyst: Ian Bell, London (44) 20-7176-3828; ian_bell@standardandpoors.com Additional Contact: Structured Finance Europe; StructuredFinanceEurope@standardandpoors.com Analytic services provided by Standard and Poor's Ratings Services (" Ratings Services ") are the result of separate activities designed to preserve the independence and objectivity of ratings opinions.

The credit ratings and observations contained herein are solely statements of opinion and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold, or sell any securities or make any other investment decisions.

Accordingly, any user of the information contained herein should not rely on any credit rating or other opinion contained herein in making any investment decision.

Ratings are based on information received by Ratings Services.

Other divisions of Standard and Poor's may have information that is not available to Ratings Services.

Standard and Poor's has established policies and procedures to maintain the confidentiality of non-public information received during the ratings process. Ratings Services receives compensation for its ratings.

Such compensation is normally paid either by the issuers of such securities or third parties participating in marketing the securities.

While Standard and Poor's reserves the right to disseminate the rating, it receives no payment for doing so, except for subscriptions to its publications.

Additional information about our ratings fees is available at www.standardandpoors.com/usratingsfees. Copyright (c) 2007, Standard and Poor's Ratings Services (END) Dow Jones Newswires
From: FXPR.com